Day 5: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 - India inching towards victory
SRI 425 & 267
IND 436 & 145/4 at Lunch on Day 5
The Indians have started their hunt to gather 257 runs quite confidently on Day 5 of the third test against Sri Lanka at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo.
Resuming from their precarious overnight position of 53/3, seasoned campaigners Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman helped ease the worries in their camp with a fighting half century stand after night watchman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566 perished in the early stages of Day 5.
Sharma scored only 4 runs before flicking a delivery from off-spinner Suraj Randiv into the hands of Kumar Sangakkara who was stationed at mid-wicket.
Sharma hung around for 26 balls, but failed to add any runs and his dismissal left his team placed at 62/4.
At this juncture, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 joined hands with Sachin Tendulkar and the duo went about their task of repairing the damage inflicted by Randiv. However, the master blaster was dropped by Dilshan at short leg off Randiv. It was a difficult chance as Sachin prodded forward to the off-spinner with his bat and pad together. India’s score at the time was 67 with Tendulkar on 18.
Following the hick-up, the two batsmen mixed caution with aggression, taking the odd ones and twos and striking some majestic boundaries to shift the pressure on the hosts, who struggled to keep a check on the run scoring in the latter half of the session.
The two players, with a mountain of experience behind them, played spin with great comfort besides handling the threat of fast bowler Lasith Malinga.
The Sri Lankan captain tried all his options, including a heavily stacked on-side field for the two batsmen in a bid to break their stubborn resistance. Yet the two reminded the hosts of their class, ability and icy cool temperament as they drove their team towards the target steadily.
The two took their team to lunch at 145/4, as Tendulkar completed a staggering 56th test half century in an illustrious career and if India goes on to win this match, then this would be regarded as one of Sachin’s very best.
VVS Laxman on the other hand has given him great company in an 83-run stand for the fifth wicket that looks set to take the tourists to a series levelling win after their loss in the opening test at Galle.
Laxman has struck four boundaries in his 46-run knock that has been accumulated of 77 balls.
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